Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-12
INDIAN HORsEMANSHIP.
Great Feats In Riding Exhibited b. the Young AraPahoes of Friday Band,

" AFaPAAOeB
 Band.
 From the Omaha Heraldl
 In the Indian camp of the Arapahoe Chief Friday. Here we saw many curious scenes and learned much of Indian life. One day Friday said to me he would like to show off his yonng men and let me see how we'll they could ride. At first I expected some treachery, as the whole herd of ponies were still in the hands of the troops. The old chief, however, was so earnest and appar- ently honest about it, I told the captain, who had the herd in charge, he might let Friday have fifty ponies for his young men. In about an hour they drew up before the tents in war paint and feathers, and were as fine a looking set of young fellows as I had ever seen. Hardly but one was six feet in height and beautifully proportioned. They sat their horses like centaurs and were ease and grace itself in the saddle. At a signal from the chief they began their movements with yell that sent the blood curdling to the heart, and was enough, if heard unawares, to make one's hair stand on end. In a moment they had disappeared over neighboring hill to the right, and I thought they had gone, but hearing mighty trampling of horses, 1 looked to the left and there they came. I can compare it to noth- ing but the wind, and they swept by so com pact that they looked like a ball of horses and men.
 Splitting in two, one body swept to the right and another to the left, and again disappeared In about two minutes the two bodies charged each other in solid lines, and I waited almost breathlessly for the shock, but as the horses heads almost touched each other the files skillfully opened to the right and left, and the lines passed through the intervals without touching. Wheeling to the right about they passed back in an instant, and again disappeared over the hills. It was about fifteen min utes before they came in sight, and Friday informed me they were blowing their horses, Presently on they came and wheeled by fours formed columns, broke by fours and finally deployed as skirmishers It was now we saw the finest individual horsemanship. Some would approach lying so close to the pony's back nothing but the horse could be seen. Others stood up and rode as circus men do. Some would hang with one foot and one hand on the horses and sweep by, their bodies completely protected by the bodies of the animals. Some leaped upon the ground holding to the mane of the horse, and after running a step or two would swing themselves up on the backs of the horses again as easily any circus man could do it. The positions they assumed and the were incredible, and I doubt if anything outside of circus ring ever equalled it. They would throw objects on the ground and pick them up again while passing at full speed, the warriors hanging to the sides of the horses with one foot and one hand. They drew bows and shot arrows from underneath the necks and even the bellies of their horses while riding at a fast gal lop.
 Our cavalry could not learn to ride as well as these Indians did if each man was trained for twenty years. They exhanged horses while riding and got behind each other. One man would fall off his horse as if wounded, and two others would ride up beside him and, taking him by an arm and leg, swing him between their horses and carry him off, The exhibition, or drill, as Friday called it. lasted nearly two hours, and the men and horses were completely exhausted. I had never seen such feats of horseman- ship in my life, and I freely said so At this Friday was much pleased, and, calling up the young men, repeated to them in a loud voice what I had said and added a few words of his own complimenting them. The young men were very proud of the manner in which they had acquitted them selves, and could imagine the feelings of their parents and sweethearts. The pe1for- mers were much worn out, some of them being hardly able to stand after their vio- lent exercise, and all the evening I saw them lying in the lodges, where the h. dian women brought food, bathed their hands, arms and limbs, and combed their hair.